The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi Palaniswami announced the gift package for all the rice ration cardholders with the view of the Pongal festival and the government order with accord to the announcement was passed by the Cooperation, Food, and Consumer Protection Department on Wednesday.

While addressing the people during the inaugural function of newly mapped Kallakurichi district on Tuesday, the Chief Minister has said that each rice ration cardholders would be given with the package of Rs 1000 and cited the government order of the package as a move to rescue the farmers and other sections of people from the drought and sufferings. 

He stated that despite the state has recorded with ample rainfall, the farmers have invested the money to procure the agriculture products and asserted that the government wants the people to celebrate Pongal festival without any hindrance and added that with the motive of that, the government has decided to distribute the Pongal gift for all rice cardholders for this year. The reports say that this year's gift package would be filled with 1 kg of raw rice, 1 kg of sugar, two feet sugarcane stick, a pack containing 20 grams of nuts and 5 grams of cardamom along with Rs 1000 and the package would be distributed from November 29th, 2019.

The Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection revealed that the government will be releasing a total of Rs 2,245.85 crore to provide the package for over two crore rice ration cardholders. The decision comes amidst the state is preparing to host the local body polls by the end of the year and the announcement had recalled the previous criticism where the state government was accused of releasing the gift package just three months before the Lok Sabha elections.